Ai Catch
by ruffruffren
Summary: Ren, a young fisherman who spends his days endlessly searching the oceans and rivers for something unknown, accidentally stumbles upon a glade. Setting up for an afternoon of fishing, his peaceful snooze is interrupted by an odd and playful creature. A slightly different take on 'The Little Mermaid' fairytale.


The sky above was as peaceful and beautiful as the lake reflecting beneath it. It was a calm and tranquil day above and below; not a cloud in sight, the sun shone pleasantly down and sparkled in a mesmerising glimmer off the still surface of the water. The gentle ripples that disturbed the surface were only caused by Ren's small boat, the wooden structure gliding with ease through the water, powered by the motor that chugged noisily at the back. He gazed up in wonder as he entered the small glade, marvelling as the long, tall trees bent over the edge like fingers, the entwining roots that held them down snaking into the water. The air was perfectly still as Ren switched off the boat's motor, happy to drift into the centre of the water. He was in no hurry on a day like today, content to let the wind tease and tempt him to wherever it wanted him to be. Glancing down at his map he realised it was a miracle to have made it here at all. The journey he had taken, traversing the myriad of maze-like waterways through the flooded forest, was barely marked on the parchment in his hands, and the area he entered into now completely uncharted. It mattered not; Ren always felt as though he was returning to his home when he was upon the water. He embraced its existence with all his heart, unafraid but respectful of its powerful boundaries. It was the only time Ren felt peaceful or comfortable. On land he felt restricted, always longing to return to the sea. His grandmother never understood him, and reprimanded him for not choosing a 'nice girl and settling down'. He could not bring himself to, not when he felt the constant tugging on his heart, pulling him back to his boat and guiding him once more onto the water.

As he drifted into the centre of the glade, Ren set up for the afternoon.

He hooked the bait onto the end of his fishing rod and sent it flying through the air. The small plastic replica fish landed in the water with a gentle splash, and a moment later Ren was sitting down with the rod propped on the side, pulling open his backpack to remove the lunch he packed. His stomach grumbling he hungrily tucked into the chicken and cheese sandwiches, the tender meat succulent and filling. As he ate he kept careful watch over the movements of the fishing rod, but the water seemed as empty of fish as the sky was of birds. It was odd how quiet it was here, Ren mused as he munched away on the other half of his sandwich, glancing around the immediate area with interest. He could not even hear the stirring of a simple creature on the none too distant shore, not a flap of wings or a scurry across the forest floor. Even the wind, it seemed, dare not trespass into the quiet serenity of the glade. It felt a little lonely, the sensation creeping over Ren's chest as the last of the sandwich entered his belly, the feeling barely softened by the fullness of his stomach.

With lunch eaten, all he had left to do was wait for a bite on the rod. It was a peaceful way to spend an afternoon and, with that in mind, Ren pulled the book he had been reading from his bag. It was a book of odd stories about merfolk and other creatures of the ocean. Though Ren could never explain it, he was always drawn to such nonsensical fairy tales.

Opening the well worn pages he started to read.

Once upon a time a young fisherman set out early one morning on a fishing trip. He kissed his grandmother goodbye as he collected his rod and bag of bait, and set out in his little boat to catch the evenings dinner.

The boat was small and sturdy, cutting through the water like a bird in the sky. The fisherman was proud of his little boat as it was built by his own two hands using wood from the forest that grew out the back of the house. Even the fishing rod he carried with him was crafted the same way.

Though he had performed the journey many, many times before, the fisherman began to notice the scenery begin to change into unfamiliarity, the trees that hung over the waters bending and twisting as though contorted with pain. This was not his usual fishing spot, the fisherman realised as he drifted into a pleasant clearing, but it would have to do.

Throwing the bait over the side the fisherman settled in for an afternoon of fishing.

After a few hours with no luck, he decided to try elsewhere.

But as he began to pack up he noticed the tip of the rod pulling and tugging into the water – a bite! Whatever had caught the line was certainly a hefty catch; it took much wrestling to finally pull it free, but what was on the end surprised the fisherman beyond belief.

Half-human, half-fish.

'My goodness!' The fisherman cried as he examined the creature now laying on the floor of his boat. Rolling it carefully over, he noticed the it was a beautiful woman. Her torso was naked and the man blushed as he glimpsed her pert, pale breasts.

'Do not hurt me!' The fish-girl opened her eyes with a start and began to flop about uselessly as she tried to untangle herself from the wretched line. 'Please – let me go! I shall do anything you ask!'

'Anything?' The fisherman responded, rubbing his chin.

'Yes, anything! Just please let me go!'

'Very well. I will release you on one condition.'

'Name your price.'

'That you become my wife.'

'Agreed. I shall become your wife! Now release me.'

The fishermen hurriedly untied the fish-girl. When she was free, the fish-girl thanked the fisherman. 'I shall uphold my end of the bargain. Pray-tell, oh kind sir, what is your name?'

'My name is Edgar, and what is the name of my lovely wife to be?'

'Merrow.' The fish-girl replied. 'You are foolish indeed for a sailor; did your mother never tell you not to give your name to girls from the sea?' The fish-girl's smile was cruel as she spoke. 'Your wife indeed I shall be, and you will become my husband. Join me, we shall become one and make the lake our home together.'

'I cannot breathe beneath the water!'

'And I cannot breathe above it. But your name is under my command and I will you to join me.'

'Wait-!'

As the girl jumped back into the water, to the fisherman's horror, he too made the leap from his boat and into the warm waters below. His legs moved of their own accord, and once he was embraced in the water, the fish-girl took his hand and dragged him beneath the surface.

He was never seen from again.

Feeling sleepy from the serenity of his surroundings Ren settled down into the depths of his boat, placing the book to one side and pulling his hat from atop his head and letting the gentle rays of sun bathe his dark hair, and instead placed the green cap over his face. Comfortable, warm and content, he found himself drifting off into a pleasant sleep, carried away by a soothing lullaby sung by the water as it gently lapped at the edges of his boat.

For how long he slept he could not be sure, and perhaps he would have slept for the rest of his days if not for the peculiar, rhythmic breath that tickled his face. In a drowsy haze Ren murmured, his fingers fumbling to replace the cap that had apparently slipped from his face. Pulling it back into place he continued to snooze for a little while longer. A few seconds, maybe more, until he felt the rhythmic breathing once again upon his pale face.

'Mhm?' Not fully comprehending, Ren opened his eyes. First one, then the other, and finally both together. He blinked; once, twice, three times. As the blurriness passed and his vision sharpened he was met not with the sight of the bending trees, nor the sky nor anything which he anticipated, but something very different indeed. Wide eyes with depths as deep and rich as a well of gold gazed back at him, darting curiously as they, too, examined Ren's face just the same. Hanging down as if to kiss the tips of the eyelids were tresses of azure, the most brilliant and vibrant of colours Ren had ever had the pleasure of looking upon. The silky waves of hair framed a face of pale complexion, the crests of smoothly sloping cheeks adorned in shimmering scales of blue and finally, in his bewilderment, Ren found the source of the warm breath; two lips reminiscent of shards of ice were parted beneath a small nose, and from between them came a musical note of...laughter?

'….What...?' Ren whispered, eyes widening as he felt something warm and surprisingly wet press against his lips. The golden pools of the eyes he had been momentarily lost within were closed, shielded behind fluttering lids as he stared on, dazed.

It was a kiss.

The sudden realisation made him jump and within the fraction of a second the mysterious face he gazed upon was gone. Before he could properly see what it had been, he was left only with the splashing of the water's surface, rippling out and rocking his boat as the force of whatever had been in front of him now vanished beneath the murky depths. Collecting his wits Ren threw himself to the side of the boat, scanning the water for signs of life. Yet all he could see now was his own startled expression staring back at him.

'Gone...?' He whispered, raising his trembling fingers to touch his lips. They tingled in the absence of the other's, and he shivered despite the coaxing heat of the glade.

'Ah!' Ren yelped as he saw his hat floating on the water a few metres away. Clinging to the edge of the boat, he quickly realised he had no hope of reaching it. Shrugging off the peculiar event from a few seconds before, he convinced himself it was nothing more than the delusions of a man half-asleep and instead busied himself with the retrieval of his hat. Turning to the motor he pulled the cord hard, his brows furrowing as the usual chugging of the engine failed to sound. He pulled the cord again with a little more force, and again was met with the ever present silence of the glade.

'Odd.' Ren murmured to himself, but as he said it he became strangely aware that something had heard him. At the same time as that notion crossed him he also felt as though he was being watched. Glancing up he surveyed the area, finding nothing. Physically shaking the feeling from him Ren scratched the back of his neck, staring at his soggy hat as it rested tantalisingly out of his reach. His other option, of course, was to use his fishing rod, still perched up against the side of the boat.

Taking the thin but somewhat sturdy rod between his broad fingers, Ren pulled the hook with the plastic bait in towards him before casting it back out, aiming directly for his hat this time. His calculations were perfect; the fake fish flew threw the air with perfect accuracy and force. To Ren's utter astonishment, however, just as the hook was to secure its target, the hat... moved.

It shifted on an invisible current several inches to the right.

'Impossible.' Ren whispered, reeling in the bait and again aiming for his hat. The same thing happened again, and twice more before Ren placed the rod down in frustration. Each time the hook was about to land, the hat moved either to the left or right at the very last moment.

'This cannot be happening.' Ren said in his exasperation.

With the motor seemingly broken and now his hat eluding him, Ren decided it was for the best if he tried to make his way home, before the spirits and faeries that surely inhabited this place took too much of a liking to playing with him.

It was an idea that came to him too late.

As Ren bent to pick up the ore from the bottom of the boat, intending to at least row his way out of here, a voice came from behind him, scattering all thoughts in his mind as he whirled around to see from whence it came.

'Leaving so soon?'

'Ah-!' Ren turned, his eyes meeting with the same honey coloured eyes of before. 'You-...'

'I only wanted to play with you awhile,' the sweet voice cooed and Ren found all thoughts of leaving the glade, leaving him. 'I'm sorry. You can have your hat back now. Though... it's a little soggy now.' The creature laughed, and from the top of its head it pulled the cap – Ren's cap – that it had been wearing.

'You should get out of the water.' Ren warned, 'Did you fall in? I can try and take you to the shore.'

'No, no. I'm perfectly... at home in the water.' The creature chuckled. There was no other word for it; the peculiar scales on its cheeks and now, Ren saw, on the slender arms as well were what appeared to be finds extending along the lower arm. Some kind of... fish?

As if to answer Ren's unspoken question, a short way behind the creature a huge finned tail rose from the depths, shimmering a thousand shades of blue, darkening towards the tip. The fin curled up, splashing playfully in the water and flicking droplets onto Ren's face and clothes.

'I am still asleep, that is for certain.' Ren mused out loud as he wiped at his face.

His words seemed only to amuse the creature further. 'Perhaps you are caught in the midst of a mid-summer's dream, but does it matter if you are awake or not?' The creature tilted its head and held out the cap. 'I'm sorry for taking it from you.'

'Thank you.' Ren said honestly. He reached for the hat, but as the tips of his fingers graced it's water clogged surface, it was once more taken from his grasp with a note of laughter from the creature. 'You are very playful.'

'You're very serious! Lighten up; spend a while with me here and play!'

'...Alright.' Ren's answer surprised even himself, but there was something about the... the... merman that prompted a smile at the corner of his lips, and a sense of childlike fascination filled him. 'What's your name?'

'I cannot tell you.' The merman responded, looking slightly saddened.

'You cannot tell me?' Ren asked, dumbfounded.

'I am bound not to.'

'Bound? By what?'

The merman nodded, a shadow of sorrow casting over his features. 'I once lived on the land with my lover, but a sorcerer discovered us and disagreed with the love we shared. He banished me to forever roam the sunken forest as a merman. To my lover... he banished my lover to forever walk the land. We were eternally split, to each forever feel the painful longing of our soul-mate. To make it worse, the sorcerer placed a spell upon my lover; that if we were to meet, he would not recall who I was.'

'I see.' Ren could see the sadness in merman's eyes, could hear the sorrow in his voice.

'But it was said upon his death that the spell would be broken, and my lover returned to me.' the merman said, a smile trickling across his face once more. He looked so beautiful when he smiled, Ren thought. A crimson blush flushed his cheeks and he looked away.

'If you are waiting for your lover's return then why did you... kiss me, before?' Ren had forgotten about the stolen kiss from earlier and now the memory of those soft lips against his own replayed in his mind, his blush darkened yet further still.

His body was confused, a jumble of emotions he could barely comprehend, as though something forever dormant inside him was waking up. He felt oddly at peace with the merman, despite his initial surprise. The loneliness in his heart eased with the sound of the merman's voice and he found himself never wanting to leave.

'What are you thinking of?' The merman prompted, smiling sweetly from the water. His arms were looped over the edge of the boat and he stayed there, half in and half out the water, his tail gently swishing behind him and rocking the boat on soft waves.

'I was wondering why I feel so comfortable here with you.'

The merman's expression was serene as he rose up from the water, clambering into the boat. He turned his heavy weight around, until an arm rested either side of Ren's hips. He was so close that the droplets from his half-naked body fell onto Ren's clothes, his hair dripped onto Ren's face, feeling like a thousand tiny caresses.

'Ao-Aoba?'

'I want you to... remember me.' The merman whispered breathlessly, his lips inches from Ren's. Any protest was sucked from Ren's lips as the merman kissed him once more, lightly. Their lips ghosted together before parting, a prelude to a more passionate embrace.

Ren could not help himself, feeling his arms move as if of their own accord to wrap around merman's slender waist, just above where his scaled tail began, pulling him flush against his own body as their tongues began to entwine. As they kissed, Ren slowly began to remember that which he had once forgotten.

It was then that after all these years of searching, Ren knew what it was he had been looking for. He felt the pull on his heart cease as he broke away from the kiss to hold the merman's cheeks in his palms. It all made sense now.

'Aoba!' He exclaimed. 'I understand it now, at last.' Ren planted a tender kiss on the merman's nose.

'You do?'

'Your name is Aoba.' Ren said proudly.

'Ren! You do remember!'

'I have been forever looking for you, Aoba. I have never once stopped – even if I did forget.'

'I was waiting for you, all this time.'

'I promise you this. We will be together – always.' Ren kissed Aoba once more on the lips, and as he did, the pair become enveloped in a blinding white light. As the brilliance began to fade, in it's wake Aoba was transformed; his fins and scales vanished, leaving behind pearly white legs and smooth, creamy flesh. As Ren's memory was restored, so too was Aoba.

The two lovers did not return from the glade. They built their home there, together, secluded in the sanctuary of the timeless forest, where the hatred of others could not touch upon their everlasting love for each other.


End file.
